Be Your Own Know-It-All

Be it an author, a politician, a co-worker, there’s always someone who thinks it’s okay to tell us how to think and behave, what’s right and what’s absolutely wrong. Not only are know-it-alls some of the more obnoxious people around, to truly know everything is impossible.

Take nutrition, for instance. Who hasn’t fallen for the latest in silver bullet theories for good health? Not so long ago, we were told not to eat any fat. Fat makes you fat. No more butter. Margarine is where it’s at. Whoops, sorry, margarine might actually kill you. Instead, bring on the bacon! And throw away the fruit. Because it’s actually carbs that make you fat. Then we were told to only eat organic. Until we were told organic didn’t matter. Or maybe it does? But stay away from eggs, for sure. Oh wait, our bad. Eggs are fine. Oh wait again. We may have been right the first time. And the very, very latest: No Benefit Seen In Sharp Limits on Salt In Diet. Ummmm, everything in moderation?

And all of this only in the last three or so decades.

The bottom line is that nutrionists don’t know it all. Doctors don’t know it all. The FDA doesn’t know it all. Bloggers and authors who write about all of this stuff as experts don’t know it all. Love this article and accompanying illustration: The Power Of I Don't Know

Here’s what we DO know: Nutrition is a fledgling science.

This statement has been repeated over and over again in many lectures throughout my health coach training. And it’s simultaneously comforting and discomforting. Comforting because I’m relieved to admit I don’t have all the answers, despite my hours upon hours of study! Discomforting because we are suffering from a growing health epidemic in this country, and “fledgling science” doesn’t exactly provide the kind of confidence we might wish for.

Discouraged? Don’t be. Make it a challenge: become your own know-it-all. Though there’s no magic pill, there is a magic formula:

THINK + EXPERIMENT + LISTEN + ADJUST = YOUR OWN KNOW-IT-ALL

THINK: Yes, there’s lots of confusing stuff out there. But you can start by applying some common sense. (For instance, if I’d thought about it more, I could have figured out Snackwells weren’t the answer to all my problems!)

EXPERIMENT: No gluten! No dairy! No sugar! These are just a handful of thousands of directives being tossed around today. Experiment a little – with them and/or other theories.

LISTEN: How do you feel, look, sleep after you eat and drink or don’t certain things?

ADJUST: Adjust accordingly long-term.

Follow this formula rather than chasing the next fad and you’ll learn what is and isn’t right for you. And if that feels overwhelming, contact me for a free evaluation. I’d love to help you become your own know-it-all (the only kind it's ok to be!)